Cook County teen loses $58,000 to Southern California car title fraud
A high school senior says a repossessed Mercedes and a DMV error erased his four years of college savings.
By Marco Alvarez ·
Seventeen-year-old Arrod Berjis lost $58,000 in college savings after a 2019 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG he purchased in Southern California was repossessed. The funds represented four years of accumulated savings intended for higher education.
Berjis, a high school senior, bought the vehicle for $58,000 through Autotrader in Los Angeles. He stated that the listing appeared legitimate and offered an opportunity to repair the car and resell it for a profit. Before finalizing the transaction, he and the seller visited the Department of Motor Vehicles to verify the title. A DMV clerk confirmed on multiple occasions that no lien holder was listed and that the title was clear. Berjis also noted that his Carfax report showed no existing liens.
Three months after the purchase, Berjis had completed repairs and identified a buyer willing to pay $75,000 for the vehicle. The car was taken the night before the planned sale. Berjis contacted the Los Angeles Police Department, believing the vehicle had been stolen. Investigators later directed him to a towing company, where he learned that Carvana had ordered the vehicle repossessed.
Berjis claims the original title he received from the DMV was taken during a follow-up visit. A DMV official explained that previous paperwork may have been overlooked during the title transfer. This error rendered the new title void and invalid, according to Berjis, who described the situation as a mistake or potential fraud. The DMV stated it could not comment further because the matter remains under open investigation. Carvana has not responded to requests for comment.
The Los Angeles Police Department is currently investigating the case. Berjis said the seller’s identity and documentation were determined to be fake, which limits the scope of the investigation. He hopes Carvana will return the vehicle or compensate him for the full $58,000. Without the funds, Berjis anticipates his college plans may be delayed.
Berjis said he felt he had lost all hope after pursuing every available avenue to resolve the issue. He emphasized that he followed all standard procedures, including verifying the title at the DMV. The incident has left him without the money he had saved over the last four years of high school, a sum he had designated specifically for the goal of attending college.
